Holder won't be missed
Eric Holder's best move as an attorney general may have been deciding to quit.
He will not go down as one of the great AGs in the nation's history.
The first African-American to hold the post, somewhat understandably he focused much of his efforts on civil rights and affirmative action programs that would benefit minorities. That was a good thing, but we've had other AGs who were more effective at it and on his watch there were significant steps backward taken by Congress and the states in both voting rights and civil rights.
His focus on minority rights also came at a price -- a poorer record on other issues where his office was often slow to react on a variety of concerns, such as the IRS and VA scandals.
And there were judgement lapses, in particular the famous "Fast and Furious" mistake, where the government sold guns to Mexican drug cartel members in an effort to track where they went. Although technically, nothing Holder did was legally wrong (thanks to the NRA and Congress's "hands off" approach to any form of gun control), but it was morally reprehensible. Somebody just didn't think that one out.
Frankly, we're surprised Holder lasted this long, considering he was often at the center of a firestorm of criticism, much of it not just routine politics but of his own making.
The next AG will, like the remaining two-year future of the entire Obama administration, be little more than a place-holder.
The real changes will come two years from now.
-- Kelly Everitt
Posting a comment requires free registration:
- If you already have an account, follow this link to login
- Otherwise, follow this link to register